Shohin Japanese maple and iPhone fix !

[davetree]

This is an example of why I shop at bonsai nurseries. I think I paid $70 for this maple, which was in a one gallon pot. I chopped it and spread the roots, here is the tree after its first year in a training pot. It's not cleaned up, I'll probably do that in March when I wire and repot. The main reason I bought this tree is the base, which is excellent for a small tree. It looks like it will be a lot of fun to work on this. About 9 inches tall right now, but I think I will shorten it a bit next spring.

I also fixed my iphone4 upside down picture bug, which was incredibly annoying. I just used a camera app and saved the pics to my iPhone, instead of using the phone's cam software.

Opinions ? Bend those branches up or down ? Natural or traditional styling ? I'd really like to know what you think.

 

[Ris]

Nice score davetree, I like the canopy but the nebari needs some approach grafts to improve in a faster way. I really look for nebari first then branching, I can show you a few pictures of what I have found in a new thread.
As for bonsai nursery, I check in now and then but mainly go to the landscaping nursery as prices are much cheaper and they sell the broken trees (like the top) for even more cheep.
I would wire those branches straight out but not till after December as they set very fast and remove just before buds form.

Rishi.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Nice tree Dave. It appears to be hiding a good nebari just under the soil...bet you're eager to expose more of it. Go for branches up...and remove anything too-heavy now before you add 3 tributaries of ramification on! It also appears to have some age...

 

[MACH5]

Nice tree Dave! I like this one! You can try placing fertilizer cakes close to the base of the trunk for an entire season. This will help develop fine roots right under the cakes that will eventually fuse and create a beautiful nebari. This works well on young trees like yours. This past year I tried this technique with very good results on a Kiyohime. By the end of season I had many fine roots around its base. I plan on doing this again next year. I learned this technique from Michael Hagedorn.

Branches look fine just need editing as you well know

 

[davetree]

Thanks for the replies. It has very nice roots under the soil, but I will try placing cakes around the base next year. It needs to be pruned heavily but I do my work I late winter after I can look at the tree a few times.